Practice Areas: Family Law, Civil Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution
Licensed in California since: 1983
Education: University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2006, 2009 - 2010, 2012 - 2013, 2015 - 2025 Law Office of Terry McNiff
113 W G StPMB 2644
San Diego, CA 92101 Phone: 760-805-8081 Email: Terry McNiff Visit website
Details
Because too many make bad divorce decisions -- decisions they learn to regret, painfully -- Mr. McNiff created the unique, award-winning decision-making guide "Picture Your Divorce to See the Right Decisions".
"Picture Your Divorce" has been honored by many:
2023 Can the Clarity and Transparency of Visuals Create Better Co-parent Outcomes? Materials, Workshop and Visual Diagrams Screen-show for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-AFCC 60th Anniversary Conference
2020 The Power of Visuals to Open Minds for Difficult Conversations Materials, Workshop and Visual Diagrams Screen-show for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-California AFCC-CA Annual Conference
2013 Global Ebook® Awards Bronze Medal Winner
Featured on FOX LA Midday Sunday with Emmy Winner Tony Valdez July 13, 2014
Noted in 2014 "Visual law services are worth a thousand words—and big money", by 400,000 member American Bar Association Journal
International Conference on Multi-sensory Law 2014, January 27 & 28, University of Zurich, Switzerland
2011 National Indie Excellence® Book Award Finalist for Divorce
USA Book News® Best Books of 2011 Award Finalist for Parenting/Family: Divorce.
"Picture Your Divorce", Attorney Selector Scorecard, Spreadsheets, other Divorce aids, & free downloads explaining the need for picturing your divorce to make better decisions are available @ http//pictureyourdivorce.com.
To show divorcing people why and how to get the help they need, Mr. McNiff produces free instructional, informational videos.
Free Videos available at the Picture Your Divorce channel on YouTube® [http://www.youtube.com/PictureYourDivorce/videos] include:
"Why Picture Your Divorce?"
plus
- "How Parents See Not to Fight Over Children"
- "Friends See How to Avoid a Bad Divorce"
- "Family Sees How to Avoid a Bad Divorce"
- "Attorneys See How to Avoid a Bad Divorce"
- "Why Many Can’t Decide Right"
- "How to See The Right Decisions"
First Admitted: 1983, California
Professional Webpage: http://www.mcnifflaw.com/about_us
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Co-Author of "Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Symposium Reference Materials" 2022, 2022
- To show lawyers how best to serve divorcing people, for over 25 years, Mr. McNiff has donated countless hours educating lawyers and others. For over 25 years, he wrote and updated the Los Angeles County Bar Reference Book chapter "Family Law Tips & Techniques" every year 1996-2019, 2021, 2022. The Los Angeles County Bar has over 15,000 members. He has presented educational programs throughout California for many years, including: Can the Clarity and Transparency of Visuals Create Better Co-parent Outcomes? Materials and Visual Diagrams Screenshow presentation for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts AFCC 60th Anniversary Conference in 2023; and The Power of Visuals to Open Minds for Difficult Conversations Materials and Visual Diagrams Screenshow presentation for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-California AFCC-CA Annual Conference, 2020, the California State Bar each year from 1995 to 2005, and in 2007, local bar associations, AAML and NBI. Mr. McNiff also served as a Judge Pro Tem and as an Arbitrator for 10 years ending in 2004., 2021
Videos:
- Why Picture Your Divorce? To see how to choose wisely. To avoid a bad divorce., Why Picture Your Divorce, 2014
- Too many parents fight over their children, treating their kids as the ammunition and the prize. Fighting over children creates pain, usually with no realistic chance of gain. A lose-lose-lose proposition., How Parents See Not to Fight Over Children, 2014
Representative Clients:
- Mr. McNiff's clients include successful business owners and professionals, entertainers, athletes, and other people with the financial means to afford the best legal representation in divorce, cohabitation, Marvin claims. Mr. McNiff is not at liberty to disclose client's names because the professional rules in California require attorneys to preserve the secrets of the client at every peril to the lawyer.
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Certified Specialist in Family Law 1994-2024 by State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization., 2023
Pro bono/Community Service:
- To show lawyers how best to serve divorcing people, for over 25 years, Mr. McNiff has donated countless hours educating lawyers and others. For over 25 years, he wrote and updated the Los Angeles County Bar Reference Book chapter "Family Law Tips & Techniques" every year 1996-2019, 2021, 2022. The Los Angeles County Bar has over 15,000 members. He has presented educational programs throughout California for many years, including: Can the Clarity and Transparency of Visuals Create Better Co-parent Outcomes? Materials and Visual Diagrams Screenshow presentation for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts AFCC 60th Anniversary Conference in 2023; and The Power of Visuals to Open Minds for Difficult Conversations Materials and Visual Diagrams Screenshow presentation for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-California AFCC-CA Annual Conference, 2020, the California State Bar each year from 1995 to 2005, and in 2007, local bar associations, AAML and NBI. Mr. McNiff also served as a Judge Pro Tem and as an Arbitrator for 10 years ending in 2004., 2023
Honors/Awards:
- Would family litigants be better served if they were allowed to see upfront, at the outset, what can happen when family litigants make the standard choices the family court system imposes upon them?, Can the Clarity and Transparency of Visuals Create Better Co-parent Outcomes? Materials, Workshop and Visual Diagrams Screen-show, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-AFCC 60th Anniversary Conference, 2023
- In this visual age, you must show clients their potential options and likely consequences so they can easily see the right divorce decisions. Please show (non-DV) clients Lorene Schaefer, Esq.'s great visual, Dispute Resolution Continuum, so they can see and understand their dispute resolution options: https://www.slideshare.net/LoreneSchaefer/dispute-resolution-continuum-21161231. , Co-Author of "Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Symposium Reference Materials" 2022, Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Symposium Reference Materials" 2022, 2022
- In this visual age, you must show clients their potential options and likely consequences so they can easily see the right divorce decisions. Please show (non-DV) clients Lorene Schaefer, Esq.'s great visual, Dispute Resolution Continuum, so they can see and understand their dispute resolution options: https://www.slideshare.net/LoreneSchaefer/dispute-resolution-continuum-21161231. , Author of "Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" 2021, "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book", 2021
- Certified as Family Law Specialist by California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization since 1994, Certified as Family Law Specialist by California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization since 1994, California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, 2020
- Author of "Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" annually 1996-2019, Author of "Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" annually 1996-2019, "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" annually 1996-2019, 2019
- Sole U.S. Lawyer Speaker at International Conference on Multisensory Law 2014, January 27 & 28, University of Zurich, Switzerland. Dr. Colette R. Brunschwig of the University of Zurich Legal Visualization Unit, pioneer in Visual Law and Multisensory Law, invited Mr. McNiff to present to international lawyers and designers his award-winning visual guide, "Picture Your Divorce"., International Conference on Multisensory Law, University of Zurich, Switzerland, 2014
- "2013 Global Ebook Awards Bronze Medal Winner for Relationships/Sexuality", "2013 Global Ebook Awards Bronze Medal Winner for Relationships/Sexuality", "2013 Global Ebook Awards", 2013
- "USA Book News Best Books of 2011 Award Finalist for Parenting/Family: Divorce", "USA Book News Best Books of 2011 Award Finalist for Parenting/Family: Divorce", "USA Book News Best Books of 2011", 2011
- "National Indie Excellence Award Finalist for Divorce, 2011", "National Indie Excellence Award Finalist for Divorce, 2011", "National Indie Excellence Award", 2011
- Chair, North San Diego County Bar Association Certified Family Law Specialists, 2011-2012 Chair-Elect 2009-2010
- Appointed by Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Chair to Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Family Law Policy.
Educational Background:
- UCLA Law School, J.D., 1983., 1983
White Papers:
- In this visual age, you must show clients their potential options and likely consequences so they can easily see the right divorce decisions. Please show (non-DV) clients Lorene Schaefer, Esq.'s great visual, Dispute Resolution Continuum, so they can see and understand their dispute resolution options: https://www.slideshare.net/LoreneSchaefer/dispute-resolution-continuum-21161231. , "Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" 2021, divorcing people, People Beginning Or Ending Relationships, 2022
- From 1996 to 2019, Mr. McNiff authored or co-authored the following reference books, articles, chapters, or educational materials for Bar educational programs: "Analysis of Financial Considerations", "Custody Trial Preparation & Presentation", "Ethics in Family Law", "Recent Developments in Family Law", "Support and the Self-Employed Individual", "Maximizing Support Results", "Marvin Claims", "New Challenges and Options for Family Lawyers and their Clients", "Family Law Techniques and Trial Tips"., "Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" annually 1996-2019, 2019
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Can the Clarity and Transparency of Visuals Create Better Co-parent Outcomes? Materials, Workshop and Visual Diagrams Screen-show for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-AFCC 60th Anniversary Conference, Co-Author, Organizer, Moderator, Speaker, Can the Clarity and Transparency of Visuals Create Better Co-parent Outcomes? Materials, Workshop and Visual Diagrams Screen-show, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-AFCC 60th Anniversary Conference, 2023
- In this visual age, you must show clients their potential options and likely consequences so they can easily see the right divorce decisions. Please show (non-DV) clients Lorene Schaefer, Esq.'s great visual, Dispute Resolution Continuum, so they can see and understand their dispute resolution options: https://www.slideshare.net/LoreneSchaefer/dispute-resolution-continuum-21161231. , Co-Author, ”Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Symposium Reference Materials" 2022, "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" 2021, 2022
- In this visual age, you must show clients their potential options and likely consequences so they can easily see the right divorce decisions. Please show (non-DV) clients Lorene Schaefer, Esq.'s great visual, Dispute Resolution Continuum, so they can see and understand their dispute resolution options: https://www.slideshare.net/LoreneSchaefer/dispute-resolution-continuum-21161231. , Author, "”Family Law Techniques & Trial Tips" for "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book" 2021, "Los Angeles County Bar Family Law Section Reference Book", divorcing people, People Beginning Or Ending Relationships, 2021
- The Power of Visuals to Open Minds for Difficult Conversations Materials and Visual Diagrams Screenshow for Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-California AFCC-CA Annual Conference, The Power Of Difficult Conversations: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Creating Connection, Compassion and Calm in Family Law , San Francisco, CA, February 7-9, 2020., Co-Author, The Power of Visuals to Open Minds for Difficult Conversations Materials and Visual Diagrams Screenshow, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-California AFCC-CA Annual Conference, 2020
- Picture Your Divorce Decisions A to Z shows every key decision every divorcing person needs to understand and make to succeed., Author, Picture Your Divorce Decisions A to Z, Amazon.com, 2012
- "Family Law Techniques and Trial Tips", Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section Symposium Reference Book, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, Author, "Family Law Techniques and Trial Tips", Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section Symposium Reference Book, 2019
- "New Challenges and Options for Family Lawyers and their Clients", Inside the Minds: Strategies for Family Law in California, 2013 ed. (Aspatore Books, part of Thomson Reuters), Author, "New Challenges and Options for Family Lawyers and their Clients", Inside the Minds: Strategies for Family Law in California, 2013 ed. (Aspatore Books, part of Thomson Reuters), 2013
- Mr. McNiff authored or co-authored the following articles, chapters, or educational materials for Bar educational programs: "Analysis of Financial Considerations", "Custody Trial Preparation & Presentation", "Ethics in Family Law", "Recent Developments in Family Law", "Support and the Self-Employed Individual", "Maximizing Support Results", and "Marvin Claims"., Co-Author, Ethics in Family Law, California State Bar Family Law Section, 2007
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Mr. McNiff created the Triple National Award finalist decison-making guide "Picture Your Divorce" to help people make better decisions before, during and after divorce., 2010
Industry Groups:
- American Bar Association (1984-)
- Business Owners
- Certified Legal Specialist (1994-2024)
- Entertainment
- Sports
Office location for Terry McNiff
113 W G St
PMB 2644
San Diego, CA 92101
Selections
16 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2006, 2009 - 2010, 2012 - 2013, 2015 - 2025
